Environment Minister Khempheng Pholsena of Laos and her delegation are right now visiting Finland. The purpose of the trip, lasting five days (18–22 August), is to learn about the administration of Finland’s environment sector. The delegation includes, among others, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mining Somboun Lasasombat and personnel of the Laos Department of Environment.
The delegation will visit the Finnish Environment Institute and the Ministry of the Environment, where discussions will take place with Permanent Secretary Hannele Pokka. In addition, the delegation will visit the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, where Minister Pholsena will meet with Minister Mauri Pekkarinen. The delegation will also make study visits to Ämmässuo waste treatment plant, to the laboratory of the Finnish Environment Institute in Hakuninmaa and to the company GreenStream Network, which specialises in renewable energy and emissions trading.
This study trip is a component of the project to strengthen administration in the environment sector of Laos; Finland is considering granting the project support from development cooperation funds. The long-range goal of the project is to develop environment-sector administration in Laos, for example environmental permit procedures, regional planning and waste management, and to promote environmental awareness.
In Laos, Finland is now granting development cooperation funds to support the preparation of a renewable energy strategy, and is considering the starting of a survey.
